U.S in the Vietnam war

Why did U.S loose the war

The majority of South Vietnamese did not support U.S.-backed government Can't win "hearts and minds" with napalm Vietnamese Communists have more popular goal—unification, independence, social and economic equality Majority of American people eventually decided war unwinnable, or not worth cost, and/or immoral and unjust.

Teach Hoa Bridge

Thousands of missions flown against it from 1965-1968—never destroyed North. brings in more and more antiaircraft guns since target is such a magnet. Dozens of U.S. planes shot down. When bridge finally destroyed in 1972 by first "smart bombs" it didn't matter. North did not even try to repair it—just used ford downstream.

Ho Chi Minh quote on U.S war

To French negotiator in 1946: "If we have to fight we will fight. You will kill ten of our men and we will kill one of yours, and in the end you will tire of it." To reporter in 1966. "If they [the Americans] want to make war for twenty years then we shall make war for twenty years."

U.S bomb dropping on South Vietnam

U.S dropped 4 times more bombs on South Vietnam than on North Vietnam.

Clinton trip to Vn

U.S lifts its economic embargo of Vietnam and establishes diplomatic relations with Vietnam in 1994.

War of "Outside Aggression"

U.S. officials claim war is caused by "outside aggression" from Communist North threatening South Vietnam "independence."

B - 52s

Used primarily on South Vietnam (1965-1972 and Cambodia (1969-1973) Used against North in 1972. Each plane carried 30 tons of bombs. "Carpet bombing:" Each 3-plane mission covers "target box" that is 1.2 miles long, .6 miles wide. Half of all bombs dropped on South from B-52s.

Gender in Vietnam

Vietnam often "gendered" female "Saigon was the most exotic city I had ever seen. Everything about it was unusual, unfamiliar, mostly alluring. . . Graceful fawn-eyed women with long flowing hair glided by on bicycles, light as the wind." John Laurence, CBS reporter. Two competing images—land of innocent girls to be saved vs. Vietnam as an "American brothel" full of women to be exploited.

TRAN HUNG DAO

Vietnamese General who defeated the Mongols in the 13th century Pioneer of what centuries later became known as guerrilla warfare "Your Majesty, if you want to surrender, please have my head cut off first." Ordered his men to drive spikes into tidal river. Lured Mongol Navy up river at high tide, and attacked as tide went out, impaling ships on spikes.

Asymmetric warfare

When there is disparity in military power between two sides.

Bombs dropped by U.S

World War II: 2.2 million tons Korean War: 500,000 tons Vietnam War: 8 million tons (4 million on South Vietnam, 1 million on North Vietnam, 1.5 on Laos, 1.5 on Cambodia)

Viet Cong

allied against U.S - Southern side of Vn pro-Communist guerrillas of South Vietnam. Call themselves the National Liberation Front (NLF.)

Daniel Elsburg

an activist and former United States military analyst who, while employed by the RAND Corporation, precipitated a national political controversy in 1971 when he released the Pentagon Papers, a top-secret Pentagon study of U.S. government decision-making in relation to the Vietnam War, to The New York Times and other newspapers.

Proxy wars

during the cold war Afghanistan, Korea, Vietnam

In 1962 U.S started promoting what for women in VN?

men could hire "hootch maids" to clean and do laundry. Sanctioned prostitution. Bar girls, roles in U.S and in Vietnam. In rear areas, ordinary U.S. enlisted men could afford to hire Vietnamese women to clean their "hootches," do their laundry, and polish their boots.

Anna Chennault

played a crucial role on behalf of the Nixon campaign which attempted to help the U.S. ally South Vietnam preserve its independence. She arranged the contact with South Vietnamese Ambassador Bui Diem whom Richard Nixon met in secret in July 1968 in New York. It was through Chennault's intercession that Republicans advised Saigon to refuse participation in the talks, promising a better deal once elected. Chennault's interaction with the Paris Peace Accords were on behalf of Nixon is sometimes called the Chennault Affair.

Henry Kissenger

served as National Security Advisor and later concurrently as Secretary of State in the administrations of Presidents Richard Nixon. A proponent of Realpolitik, Kissinger played a prominent role in United States foreign policy between 1969 and 1977. negotiated the Paris Peace Accords, ending American involvement in the Vietnam War.

LBJ campaign logo

will not send American people to Vietnam. Vietnam should be fighting its own war.

Conventional bombs

(daisy cutter) Big bombs designed to damage buildings and people.

Nguyen Thi Dinh

1920-1992. Imprisoned by French '40-'43. Deputy Commander of National Liberation Armed Forces (Viet Cong.) After war in 1975 promoted to Major General and member of Central Comm. Of VN Communist Party.

U.S. withdraws last troops

1973

Communist victory

1975

"Fall of Saigon"

April 30, 1975

Ho Chi Minh as a traditional revolutionary

Calls for revolution but links it to traditional devotion to modesty and family loyalty "Since no one can divide the members of one family, no one can divide Vietnam." Constantly exhorts revolutionaries to treat peasants with respect and deference Builds movement by stressing anti-colonial war as more important than communist class struggle within Vietnam—at least until about 1952.

Democratic demonstration in 1968

Chicago mobilization to end war.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Designed by Maya Lin, 1982

Gorilla Tactics

Hit and run/hide. When they advance, ambush. When they stand still, surprise attack.

McCarthy Antiwar candidate

Nearly defeats LBJ in NH primary, March Success moves Robert Kennedy to join race, March 16

West Morland

Pivotal role in military in the Vietnam war. Morland was a general in the Vietnam war who directed most of what the troops were told to do.

Ben Tre

Provincial Capital in Mekong Delta (35,000 population.) Overrun by Viet Cong regiment during Tet Offensive U.S. bombs town to drive out Viet Cong, City destroyed, roughly 1000 civilians killed in air attacks, U.S. officer: "IT BECAME NECESSARY TO DESTROY THE TOWN TO SAVE IT." 1968

ARVN

The Army of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnamese military trained and financed by the U.S.)

Human Loss in VN War

Vietnam: 3 million killed United States: 58,000 More than half of Vietnamese deaths were civilians.

North Vietnamese Army (NVA)

call themselves the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN)

Cluster Bombs

designed to do more damage to people than to structures.

Streetcorner Assassination Gen'l Loan

is an ally—runs the police Kills unarmed prisoner whose hands are tied behind his back Geneva Conventions of 1949: killing prisoners of war is a war crime.

Martin Luther King Jr.

"A Time to Break Silence"—denounces the "triple evils" of poverty, racism, and militarism.

Ho Chi Minh quotes

"If everywhere you put your thumb on the sacred earth of Vietnam a rice plant grows, then we will succeed." Ho knew the old proverb: "A thumb-square of rice is more precious than a thumb-square of gold."

Ho Chi Minh quote on his reason for joining the party

"It was patriotism, not communism, that inspired me."

W.H. Auden

"Musee des Beaux Arts" 1938 poem "About suffering they were never wrong, the Old Masters"—they reveal the human tendency to turn away from misery. Written on brink of World War II, a war that killed 60 million people.

U.S. Senator from Wisconsin

(1947-57) The term McCarthyism, coined in 1950 in reference to McCarthy's practices, was soon applied to similar anti-communist activities. Today the term is used more generally in reference to demagogic, reckless, and unsubstantiated accusations, as well as public attacks on the character or patriotism of political opponents.

Chinese Rule

111 BCE—Han Dynasty annexes northern Vietnam (Nam Viet—Viets of the South) Vietnam a Chinese colony for 1000 years (but Vietnamese resist and maintain separate identity despite Chinese control and cultural influence) China helped VN greatly in war against U.S. (esp. in late 1960s), but fight each other soon after (late '70s.)

The Battle of Bach Dang River

1284

Brueghel's "Fall of Icarus"

1556

French Colonial Rule

1887-1954 - Economic source of raw materials and markets at home and "development" for Indochina Imperial competition with other colonial powers itself a strong motive Source of national pride in French power and "grandeur" Justified as a "civilizing mission" (mission civilisatrice.)

Deer team

1941 - 1945

Ho Chi Minh declares independence

1945

Cold War

1945 - 1991

French-Indochina War

1946-1954 (U.S. backs the French)

The draft,

1948-1973 elites volunteer in popular wars. Reflects Cold War Militarization, Permanent preparedness for war, Policy planners: what sort of military establishment is required in nuclear age? Need physicists as well as foot soldiers.

Eisenhower

1953-1961 1954: Sends CIA and U.S. military advisers to "save" Vietnam from Communism Backs Ngo Dinh Diem to rule "South Vietnam."

Geneva Accords

1954 - divide Vietnam (but promise reunification elections in 1956.) U.S. and Diem refuse to hold elections because Ho Chi Minh would win Vietnam denied democratic means to achieve unification and independence.

North Vn

1954-1959: Communist Party consolidates its control in North under Ho Dictatorial One-Party state that does not tolerate dissent, yet successfully mobilizes popular support for "sacred cause" of national reunification and independence Encourages southern political organizing against Diem, but doesn't endorse violent insurgency until 1960.

U.S. builds and supports Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam.)

1954-1975

J.F.K

1961-1963 Raises U.S. military in Vietnam from 700 to 15,000 Deceives public about "advisory" role of U.S. military Authorizes overthrow of Ngo Dinh Diem—Nov., 1963.

Lyndon Johnson

1963-1969 Orders small secret attacks on NVN Says August, 1964 NVN attack on U.S. destroyers in Gulf of Tonkin "unprovoked"—not true Gulf of Tonkin Resolution gives LBJ power to escalate without Declaration of War.

Bob Hope

1964 - 1972. U.S. morale boosting efforts (short term exposure to entertainment, women, and one-week R & R.)

King's Riverside Church Speech

1967

Reforms in Draft

1967—no more grad. school deferments, 1969—draft lottery introduced (receive a number based on birthday) 1971—college deferments ended. Reforms increase number of college grads in military but too late to make big change in class composition of Vietnam military, 1973—Draft ended. 1/3 draftees, 1/3 "draft-induced" volunteers, 1/3 volunteers. 80 percent of US soldiers in Vietnam from working-class backgrounds.

Nguyen Van Thieu

1968 peace talks with NVN. Nixon asks him not to consider peace.

Nixon

1969-1974 Promises to achieve "peace with honor" Gradually reduces number of U.S. troops Increases bombing "Vietnamization" 25,000 more Americans die under Nixon and a million more Vietnamese.

Kent State shooting

1970 also known as the May 4 massacre. Some of the students who were shot had been protesting the Cambodian Campaign, which President Richard Nixon announced during a television address on April 30.

Paris peace treaty

1973 Nixon claims "Peace With Honor" achieved—but it is a "paper peace" U.S. gets POWs and withdraws military North Vietnam allowed to keep troops in South Vietnam Fighting continues almost immediately U.S. continues to aid gov't of South Vietnam, but collapse almost inevitable.

Fall of the Berlin wall

1989

Trieu Au

248 CE At 21 leads army into battle—often depicted in golden armor on back of elephant. 18th c. account: Brother says, "Women aren't supposed to act this way." She responds: "I will not resign myself to the lot of women who bow their heads and become concubines. I wish to ride the tempest, tame the waves, kill the sharks and save the whole country from slavery. I refuse to be abused."

Trung Rebellion

40-43 CE Trung sisters, aristocrats who led rebellion against Chinese. Organize rebel army and attack Chinese garrisons. Brief independence under Trung queens. Phung Thi Chinh: Another woman warrior said to give birth in battle and fight on. Chinese crush uprising, behead thousands, including Trung sisters (maybe.)

Truman

April/1945-Jan./1953 Truman Doctrine - Global "Containment" of Communism Supports French in their war against the Viet Minh ('46-'54.)

Gulf of Tonkin

Aug 4th 1964 Three North Vietnamese patrol boats follow U.S. destroyer (the Maddox). At more than five miles away the Maddox begins firing at the patrol boats. All three boats damaged; VNese fire one small torpedo at Maddox (it misses).

What French rule was like

Brutal economic exploitation—rice, rubber, tea, coffee, mines (growing landlessness) Education for tiny elite of Vietnamese French establish opium monopoly—by 1918 more than 1500 gov't run "dens." Persecution of rebels (prisons become schools for revolution—badge of honor.)

Moral Criticism of war

By 1971 a majority of Americans view war not only as unnecessary and ineffective, but morally wrong. American military policies make killing of many civilians inevitable—napalm, cluster bombs, chemical defoliants, carpet bombing by B-52s, search-and-destroy missions, use of free fire zones.

support for the Vn war

By 1971, 71 % say war was a mistake, and 58 % say it is immoral.

Long History of Vietnamese Resistance to Foreign Rule

Chinese Rule: 111 BCE—938 CE Mongol and Chinese attacks and periodic control until 1428 French Rule: 1883-1954 Japanese Rule: 1940-45 French Reconquest: 1946-1954 "American War": 1954-1975

William Westmoreland

Commander of U.S. forces in VN, '64-'68. Describes Tet Offensive as U.S. victory, Requests 200,000 more troops, "Westy" is removed from VN command.

Vn war overview

Communist-led Revolutionary Nationalism vs. U.S. Global Anti-Communism 1954-1975: U.S. tries and fails to build permanent anti-Communist South Vietnam U.S.-backed gov't in Saigon never gains enough popular support of people Massive U.S. firepower fails to break opponents' will to fight.

Tim O'Brian

Drafted in '68; infantryman in VN. The Things They Carried (1990.) Includes story about draftee considering exile to Canada—"On the Rainy River."

Silent majority speech

During his successful campaign for the Presidency in 1968, Richard Nixon promised he had a "secret plan" to end the war in Vietnam.

Julian Bond

Elected at 25 to Georgia House of Representatives. Denied seat after signing SNCC's antiwar statement. Supreme Court restores seat. Social activist and leader in the Civil Rights Movement, politician, professor, and writer. While a student at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, during the early 1960s, he helped to establish the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee.

Nuclear Breaksmanship Kennedy

Fight between capitalist democracy and how the world could progress through communism.

Napalm

Fire bomb that burned down to the skin.

Napalm

Fire bombs made from jellied gasoline

Post-Vietnam Memory

Forget what we did in and to Vietnam Focus on healing our own wartime divisions Focus on rebuilding national pride and patriotism, an faith in our exceptionalism Focus on service and sacrifice of our troops.

Viet Minh

Form Viet Minh in 1941 to build movement of national liberation (Viet Minh—short for League for Vietnamese Independence.)

George Wallance

Governor of Alabama. Famous for supporting segregation forever. wins 5 states.

The Domino Theory

If a nation falls to communism others will fall as well.

Thich Quang Duc

June 11, 1963 International symbol of opposition to U.S.-backed gov't in Saigon Not just Communist-led guerrillas who oppose U.S. policy.

The My Lai Massacre

March 16, 1968: U.S. infantry company kills 500 unarmed, unresisting civilians The slaughter went on four hours, with breaks for food and cigarettes U.S. troops never fired on Army officers covered up the massacre and the public did not learn about it until 20 months after it happened.

MLK anti - war campaign

Martin Luther King, Jr., leads a march of 5,000 antiwar demonstrators in Chicago. In an address to the demonstrators, King declared that the Vietnam War was "a blasphemy against all that America stands for." King first began speaking out against American involvement in Vietnam in the summer of 1965. In addition to his moral objections to the war, he argued that the war diverted money and attention from domestic programs to aid the black poor.

Kent State

May 4, 1970 Massive nationwide protests against Nixon expansion of war into Cambodia National Guard kill four students at Kent State University.

Class-Biased Draft student Deferments

Medical exemptions favor those with support of private doctors. Privileged and well-connected best able to get into National Guard and Reserves. Standards dropped for Armed Forces Qualifying Exam ("mental rejections" cut in half.) Project 100,000 (further lowers standards.)

Red Cross "Donut Dolly"

Morale boosters. "Our programs were a cross between a TV quiz show and a board game. . .We'd divide the men into teams and stand up in front and ask them questions." Nancy Smoker.

WWII to Vietnam War, 1941-1975

Most UNIFYING war to most DIVISIVE Greatest TRIUMPH to only DEFEAT Basic TRUST in gov't to wide DISTRUST Global SUPPORT to global CRITICISM

Vietnamese "Bar Girl" "

Most of the bar girls were from the countryside. Because of the fighting there they had to run away to the city. They couldn't find anything to do so step-by-step they became bar girls." Nguyen Ngoc Luong

Dictatorial Rule of Ngo Dinh Diem in South Vietnam

No tolerance for dissent Effort to imprison or execute former Viet Minh fighters who support Ho Chi Minh Corruption: wealth and high positions go to family members and Catholic elite Growing opposition from Communists, Buddhists, and nationalists of many ideologies. 1954 - Assassinated in 1963 during Kennedy and LBJ

Terms of battle Relate to Rules of engagement.

Okay to bomb without warning if U.S. troops receive any fire from village. Okay to bomb if villagers known to give material support to Viet Cong or NVA. Villagers to be warned in advance "whenever possible." Okay to bomb if villagers removed and village declared a "free-fire zone."

Paul Potter

On April 17,1965, 25,000 people participated in a MARCH ON WASHINGTON TO END THE WAR IN VIETNAM organized by Students for a Democratic Society. After several hours of picketing the White House, the President of SDS, Paul Potter, spoke to the demonstrators in front of the Washington Monument to tell the people to protest the war.

Why is war easy to ignore?

Our wars are far away Fought by tiny fraction of our population Home front life unaffected No civilian sacrifice required (no war tax, rationing, draft, etc.) Nationalism encourages people to honor soldiers but not question war.

HUE MASSACRE

Part of the Tet offensive Hue Massacre in 1968. Communist forces executed hundreds—perhaps 2000 or more—people in Hue who had ties to government. U.S. gov't presents massacre as evidence of why war must continue: to prevent bloodbath. But South Vietnamese now realize U.S. can't really protect them even with massive occupation—not safe from either side.

1968 election and the people

Richard M. Nixon, Hubert H. Humphrey (Democratic) George C. Wallace (American Independent) Henning Blomen (Socialist Labor)

McGeorge Bundy

Serving as United States National Security Advisor to Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson from 1961 through 1966. He is best remembered as one of the chief architects of the United States' escalation of the Vietnam War during the Kennedy and Johnson administrations.

U.S military approach to the Vn war

Strategy: Attrition (Grind them down until they lose their will and ability to fight) Tactic: Search and Destroy (Find, fix, and destroy "the enemy"—but how to identify?) Measurement of Success: Body Count